A Flicker of Hope
by AcrimoniousOptimist
Summary: Merlin finds himself in an unfortunate situation after being abducted by Morgana. Meanwhile Arthur struggles with new knowledge, knowledge that Merlin could possibly have magic. Will the Prince rescue his loyal servant despite the chaos magic has caused within his family? Or will Merlin be left in the hands of the evil high priestess? Reveal!Fic and Whump!Fic. No slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! The story you are about to read will be my first uploaded fan fiction on this cite. I have to give alot of the credit to user: SpanaHana and her story "Never Lose Hope." I read this story and loved the idea behind it, but the grammar was off, the writing swapped tenses, and the run-on sentences were infinite... now don't get mad Spana! I was originally going to edit your story and send it to you, but I figured some people may enjoy my version better, who knows! I seriously loved yours but it wasn't my style of writing, and I was having difficulties with it.**

**To other readers of this... Enjoy!**

**Chapter 1**

Merlin hung there, waiting for someone, anyone to turn up and save him. He was inches away from giving up all hope.

"Ready to tell me who Emrys is yet?" a door unlocked as he heard Morgana snarl at him from across the room. He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard her footsteps approaching him.

The sound of a knife being unsheathed made his eyelids flutter open again. Morgana stood in front of him, her face set in a wicked smile as she caressed her favorite knife.

_Arthur, please, _Merlin shouted internally _Help me._

- 3 days earlier –

"Hurry up Merlin!" called Arthur, "Are you trying to make us late?"

"Well maybe if you weren't such a prat you would learn to do some work instead of only giving out orders." Merlin mumbled as he packed up the last bit of their camp supplies. "Then we would already be on our way."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I heard that. You're my servant and I'm the king, so it's your job to serve me."

"I thought it was your job to help look after the citizens and seeing as I'm a citizen of Camelot, you should help me tidy _your _things, _sire."_

"Just finish up and stop complaining like a girl!" Arthur retorted, resigned to Merlin's censure.

Gwaine, Percival, Elyan, and Leon exchanged humored glances, sniggering at the orthodox banter between their king and Merlin. It was a regular occurrence that they had all accustomed themselves to, especially when on patrols or hunting trips.

Just then Merlin tied the last of their things onto his saddle and mounted. The rest of the party, already mounted, began riding away. Merlin took his place beside Arthur in the front and they trotted off.

It was merely ten minutes into their ride when Merlin felt a change in the air. His skin tingled, and he had a sensation in his gut that he knew only he would get. He slowed his horse to a halt.

Arthur noticed he had stopped and sighed, turning towards him. "Come _on _Merlin! We are trying to return to Camelot before sunset!" He kicked his horse forward.

Merlin glanced around, worried. "Wait! Arthur, something's wrong…"

"Oh is it one of your _funny feelings?_" Arthur joked, but his face shifted. A hint of anxiety flashed through his blue eyes. In truth, he was worried. As much as he hated to admit, Merlin tended to be right about his funny feelings.

"He might be right Arthur." Gwaine said, who always heeded the words of his trustworthy friend.

Arthur tried to regain composure, squinting his eyes in false disbelief. "Oh not you as well Gwaine! I think you have been spending too much time around Merlin.

"Arthur, can you hear anything?" Gwaine asked, staring into the trees. Arthur listened, following his knight's gaze and then sweeping the forest floor. There was nothing but silence.

"No I can't so can we keep mov…" Arthur's thoughts caught up to him as he realized what he was saying. It was quiet, way too quiet for a forest normally alive with bird song and a strong wind rustling the leaves. However at that time there was nothing but the steady breathing of the men around him.

"Let's move, quickly." Arthur said. Alert and weary, he spurred his horse into a canter. The rest of the group followed closely behind.

Suddenly the 'woosh' of an arrow was heard, and it soared by, planting itself in a tree where Arthur's head had been only seconds before. A battle cry erupted from the trees and shrubbery, followed by a group of mercenaries who charged out, surrounding the knights of Camelot. The red caped men dismounted from their horses and unsheathed their swords, surveying the large group of raggedy men. The fight would be unfair, leaving around five mercenaries for each of the knights. Nevertheless the men charged the renegades, hoping they could defend themselves.

Merlin was fighting one of the mercenaries with the sword Arthur had given him for patrols, due to their constant bad luck, when he saw that he was being backed into a tree. He glanced around before chanting "Ahatian!" The mercenary let out a yelp as he dropped his now boiling hot sword. It gave Merlin a chance to land a blow to his side. The mercenary dropped onto the ground, and Merlin ran back into the fray.

He re-examined the small battlefield, and was pleased to see all of his friends still fighting. The poor skill of the mercenaries couldn't match the skill of the knights of Camelot, and the mercenaries were dropping quickly.

He shot a glance in Arthur's direction, and though his back was turned to him he could see him defeating man after man. Merlin's mouth twitched upwards, but abruptly saw two giant men creeping up behind Arthur. He shouted Arthur's name, but knew he had to do something. As Arthur cut down his current opponent, he began turning to face his friend at the exact moment Merlin hissed an enchantment that sent one of the mercenaries soaring backwards into a tree.

Arthur's eyes connected with his loyal and trusted servant seconds before an unnatural glowing gold color slipped from his eyes and they returned to their usual clear blue. It distracted him long enough that he didn't notice the other man headed for him. _Did his eyes just catch the sun oddly? _Arthur thought in a split second, pondering what he had just seen.

Merlin's eyes widened, and suddenly the man was upon Arthur. Arthur was totally unprepared, still frozen to the ground and looking at his servant. Merlin had no choice, he sent the other man flying away from the king, knocking himself out on a rock ledged in the ground.

Merlin forced himself to look back up at Arthur, and he noticed Arthur's expression change as he realized where the treasonous words had been uttered from. He realized that magic had just sent those two men flying. Arthur started walking towards Merlin, his face suddenly stoic. Merlin was suddenly scared as to what was going to happen, but just then Arthur's face broke into a concerned expression.

As the knights gathered around Arthur he stared behind Merlin, his face changing yet again to anger and what seemed to be a hint of sadness.

"Hello brother." Morgana said, and casually strolled towards the group, her hair done up wildly and an evil smirk dancing along her face. "Miss me?"

Merlin slowly turned, and came face to face with the person he despised the most. He started backing up to Arthur and the knights.

"Folgie min bebeod." Morgana incanted, and then Merlin was frozen to the spot. He could not move, no matter how much he wanted to be beside Arthur. Gwaine looked from Merlin to Morgana, anger tracing through every crevice on his face. He held his sword up, ready to attack.

Arthur held Gwaine back. "What do you want Morgana, haven't you done enough already?" Surprisingly his voice was calm, unlike the men around him.

"Just thought I'd drop by and collect something to help me with my troubles." She said slyly.

"What does this have to do with my manservant?" Arthur gestured towards a helpless Merlin.

"Servant!" Morgana cackled, amused. "I think we both know Merlin is more than your servant." She glanced down at Merlin, who scowled at her. "I think "friend" would be a more appropriate term."

"But…" Arthur started. Morgana interrupted.

"Stop being so daft, Arthur. You'd think you would've stopped denying it by now, but no matter. I'm not here to talk about your feelings." Morgana said. "I'll just take what I came for and be on my way."

"We won't let you escape that easily, you witch!" Gwaine growled.

"Oh, and how are you going to stop me?" Morgana chuckled.

Gwaine moved forward once again, but Arthur would not yield to him. Gwaine glared at his king but Arthur ignored him.

Morgana laughed. "That's what I thought. You may say you are the best knights in the realm but truly you are just weak."

Arthur was exasperated. "Just leave Morgana; you have no business being in Camelot. Go now and no harm will come to you."

"Yes, I'll go," Morgana replied, the devil dancing in her dark eyes. "But if you don't mind Merlin will be coming with me."

Before Arthur or the knights could react, Morgana gestured to Merlin and chanted. "Bedyrne us! Astyre us panonweard!" In that second both vanished.

Gwaine rushed forward, shouting curses at the empty space where Morgana was moments before. Percival and Elyan tried to calm him down, but both still had worry in their eyes as they processed what they had just witnessed. Leon stood next to Arthur, waiting for an order from his king. Unfortunately Arthur stood shell-shocked as his brain desperately tried to sort out his thoughts. There was the matter of what had just happened and how to proceed, but his brain was swirling around only one thought, a thought that made him sick to his stomach.

Merlin had magic.

Gwaine had stopped his ranting and turned to look at Arthur, whose face was pale and donned a blank expression. Anger seeped back into Gwaine's brow and he stormed back to Arthur. "Why are you still standing here, Arthur? We have to help Merlin; we need to go after him!" Gwaine exclaimed. He didn't wait for a reply, but instead started preparing to mount his black horse.

"No." Arthur snapped out of his trance, looking at Gwaine.

"Sire?" Gwaine half snarled, but his face twisted into an odd half smile, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"I said no, we are not going after Merlin."

All traces of humor left Gwaine's face. "Please tell me you're joking? Or are you a total idiot?"

"Gwaine! Calm down, you are talking to your king." Leon stated, still by Arthur's side but suddenly a tad weary at the king's statement.

"How can you be calm? Did you hear what he said? He said that he isn't going to look for Merlin, his most loyal and trusted friend!" he spat the last words at Arthur.

Arthur locked eyes with Gwaine. " Merlin is not my friend."

"Do you hear what you're saying? You aren't making no sense!"

Percival stepped forward. "Gwaine, calm down. I think we need to bring this matter home with us, it wouldn't be fit to ride off now with no leads as to where Morgana has gone."

"He's right. We are expected back in Camelot tonight. It would be unwise to stay in the forest any longer, sire. We would worry your people." Leon reasoned.

Gwaine still held his ground. "Who knows how long Merlin has, or what Morgana will do to him! We need to fetch him from her _now_!"

"No, Leon is right." Elyan inserted. "We know Morgana is involved and we need all the help we can get."

Gwaine let out a short sigh, about to disagree again but he was interrupted.

"For once, just shut up and listen to orders." Arthur proposed. "We will ride back to Camelot." He strode toward his horse, glancing at Merlin's dark brown stallion. He shook his head and mounted, immediately trotting towards his home. The rest of them mounted while Gwaine tied Merlin's horse to his.

"Don't worry, Merlin. I will find you even if Arthur won't." breathed Gwaine as he mounted and galloped down the path the others had gone. Meanwhile, in the opposite direction, Morgana was launching her plan to get Merlin to give her some specific information. She would use any method she needed to get her information, no matter how painful.


	2. Chapter 2

**Please review or rate or comment or whatever you can do on this site! I would truly appreciate it, as I have never had feedback on my work before.**

**Chapter 2**

Merlin slowly opened his eyes, seeing nothing but darkness. He squinted into the gloom and tried to walk forward but his feet slid uselessly on the slick floor. They barely touched the ground. He realized that he was being held up by his arms, and he could barely feel them. His eyes glanced upward, seeing the outline of a thick, rusty chain that wrapped itself around his wrists. He tugged downward, and his sore wrists complained as they felt the unnecessary pressure. The chains were strong, and tied to a beam on the ceiling.

He forced his eyes to focus on his surroundings, and made out four masonry walls surrounding him. The smell was moldy and damp even though he could see the outlines of torches hanging on the walls.

_Not good. _Merlin thought. _Definitely not good._

His sluggish mind was trying to remember what had happened, but everything was fuzzy and his head pounded. Then he saw movement in the corner of his cell, someone skulking in the shadows.

"So, sleeping beauty has decided to wake up." The voice was familiar, but his brain wasn't awake enough to put a name to it.

"Let's sort out this poor lighting, eh? _Forbearnan_." Torches around the room lit themselves, revealing the source of the voice: Morgana. At the sight of her face everything came flooding back to Merlin.

_Oh no, Arthur. _Merlin thought. It felt like another chain had wrapped itself around his heart. _Magic… he saw me… oh god, oh god. _He refused to think anymore, trying to push away the memory of the betrayal in Arthur's eyes. _Oh god. _

Morgana smirked, mistaking Merlin's sudden heartbreak for fear of her. "Did you just realize that this isn't a dream… or should I say nightmare?"

Merlin abruptly wondered why he was here with Morgana. _Does she know? Does she know about my magic? _He thought, tensing up.

"Oh, don't be so worried Merlin! After all we were friends once, well, before you tried to kill me." Morgana began walking towards him.

Merlin stayed silent, searching his thoughts, trying to remember if she had seen anything.

"The silent treatment… It's alright Merlin. I won't hurt you _too_ much if you help me."

Merlin looked up curiously. "Help you with what?" he tried to sound unafraid, but his voice was an octave higher than it should be.

Morgana chuckled. "Ah! It speaks! But I ask the questions Merlin."

"That doesn't mean I have to answer them. I will never betray Arthur." _Even if the next time I see him he will have me tied to a post and burnt. _Merlin thought.

Merlin's bravery only made Morgana laugh harder. "I appreciate the loyalty, really I do, but I don't need information about my brother. No no no, I need help finding someone else." She looked at Merlin with wicked eyes. "Tell me, what do you know about someone called Emrys?"

Caught off guard, Merlin flinched away from her without thinking. A smile broke out across Morgana's face.

"Ah, so you have heard of him. Brilliant!"

"No. I have never heard that name before." Merlin tried to recover his composure.

"You've always been such a terrible liar. Now you can tell me where I can find him or I will force it out of you."

Merlin skirted around the question. "Why would I know of the man? I'm just a servant. Wouldn't Arthur be more aware of important citizens in his kingdom?"

"Ah, but you see, we already know that Gaius knows him, don't we? I would have the information I needed were it not for a betrayal." Morgana sneered, and Merlin remembered the time she hired the Alator of the Catha to torture Gaius, but his loyalties lied on Merlin's side. "Last time I checked you are the closest person to Gaius in the castle, like a son to him."

Merlin looked away from the witch. "I won't tell you anything. I will not do or say anything to help you."

Morgana laughed wickedly. "I was hoping you'd say that."

She pulled a blade from her belt. Merlin watched it glint in the firelight, and he subconsciously tried to back away, but the chains held him in place. She placed the blade on his chest. "Where is Emrys?"

Merlin didn't answer her. "So be it." She snarled, and the blade pierced Merlin's skin. A searing pain erupted across his chest and she sliced down. He bit his lip in vain, trying to hold back the screams. He would not give her the satisfaction of hearing him scream. The pain worsened as she made several cut downs his chest. Blood seeped out of the wounds and drenched his shirt, but he stayed quiet.

"Where. Is. He?" She hissed, drawing the knife through an already open cut.

"No." Merlin gasped out between clenched teeth.

Morgana took the knife from his chest, anger creasing her forehead. "You can rot in here until you're ready to tell me then." She spun around, blew out the torches and walked out of the dungeon. Merlin was plunged into darkness once again, and the only sound was the turn of a lock and Morgana's footsteps fading in the distance.

The thunderous sound of hooves along stone poured into the courtyard as five men came cantering into Camelot, telling the people that their King had returned.

Gaius was in the courtyard, awaiting Merlin's return. He needed him to fetch some essential herbs that had run out of stock. But as he saw the horses, he saw a familiar brown without a rider and his ward, whom he cared for so dearly. Merlin was nowhere to be seen.

He watched Arthur dismount with an unreadable expression and begin striding towards the castle without speaking a word to anyone.

"Arthur," Gaius called. "Where's Merlin?"

If Arthur heard him, he just ignored him. Gaius looked around and saw the rest of the knights exchanging sympathetic looks. Gwaine started walking towards him.

"N-no please, he's not…"

"No, Gaius, Merlin is alive… at least we believe he is." Gwaine reassured him.

Gaius' body relaxed, but confusion still played at the corner of his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Morgana took him." Gwaine's expression shifted. "I tried to get to him but Arthur held me back... Arthur ordered us to continue back to Camelot."

"What is Morgana's reasoning for this?" Gaius asked, shaken.

Now it was Gwaine's turn to be confused. "She… she said she needed him to help her with her troubles."

Gwaine watched as the blood drained from Gaius's face. He gave him a pat on the shoulder before guiding him back to his chambers.

_This is going to be a long night. _Gwaine thought as the two walked. _Arthur better get his act together or I will have to knock some sense into him._

When Arthur reached his chambers he ordered the guards to not let anyone in, not even his wife Guinevere. He sat at his desk, sighing. He was about to begin his reports when he saw how untidy his desk was.

_Merlin, _Arthur thought. _He was meant to tidy this up before we went. _

He let out another sigh and began sorting his papers into piles.

While he was stacking the papers he found his mind trying to push away any thoughts about his trustworthy servant. The attempt was fruitless, and he found himself consumed with so many emotions he thought he might lose consciousness. All of it was too overwhelming.

_Merlin had been a trustworthy servant. _Arthur internally corrected his previous thought. _He had been so loyal. How could he betray me like this? He was yet another traitor, that I, like an idiot, let so close to me. He committed treason and betrayed Camelot while I stood blind to the ruse he had been portraying. I saw the nice, friendly, and idiot man who was always by my side, and yet he practiced sorcery._ Arthur shook his head once more in disbelief, trying to refuse his thoughts. _Merlin hasn't hurt me, why? He has been by my side for years and hasn't hurt Camelot or myself. _The man still baffled Arthur, and he wondered why. _He can't be evil. His face had been terrified when I saw him using magic. But still, he _chose _to practice sorcery, after everything it has destroyed in my family._

Anger rose in his chest, but something quelled it. He realized that he would not be sitting here had it not been for Merlin. Merlin had saved his life. He had protected him in the forest today. But who knew what his intentions were. Merlin could kill Arthur with several stanzas of a chant. He could kill Guinevere, or the knights, or even Gaius… all the people that Arthur cared so much for. _But would he do that? _Arthur asked himself, exasperated. _He cares about them, anyone could see how dear they were to him, but could that just be part of a lie? Could Merlin really betray them too?_

Arthur put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. He didn't know what to think. There was no one he could talk to about this…well, there was one. Gaius.

The sound of the door unlocking echoed through the dark room, ominously warning Merlin of Morgana's return. The door opened, and Morgana flicked on the torches with her magic. She walked up to Merlin like a predator, like a tiger stalking a wounded deer, and knowing it would have a meal within seconds. She scanned Merlin's ragged shirt, and the slashes she had put there the day before, and smiled.

"Good morning Merlin! I hope you are settled in well."

Merlin looked up and stared at her.

"Oh don't look at me like that; it's only been a day! We still have plenty of time for more fun!" She suggested.

Merlin held his glare level with her smirk.

"No?" She feigned a sigh. "As you wish."

Morgana unsheathed her knife and walked over to a torch. She held it into the flames until the glittery steel turned to a scorching red. Merlin's eyes widened with fear as he watched her make her way towards him.

She held the knife inches away from Merlin's face and grinned. "Since I'm in a good mood, I will ask one more time." Merlin could feel the heat pouring off of the knife. "Where can I find Emrys?"

"I don't know." He said blatantly.

Morgana gripped a fistful of Merlin's hair in her hands and forced the knife onto his cheek. He let out a distressed scream, not able to contain the pain this time. The burn of the knife made him go wild. He writhed under the chain, desperate to free himself. Morgana chuckled darkly as she listened to him scream, and switched the blade onto the opposite cheek, bringing on a whole new set of shrieks. He squeezed his eyes shut and several tears escaped, their saltiness not helping his flaming cheeks.

"I can do this all day Merlin, but can you?" Morgana sneered.

"I…won't…tell…you…anything." Merlin choked out, weakly looking at Morgana.

"There's no point in keeping the information from me. You will tell me eventually, as you are only a weak minded servant."

"Ar…thur…will…come…and you…will…be…sorry."

Morgana laughed. "He may be searching, but he will never find us, so tell me where Emrys is or the pain will only get worse."

Merlin gathered up the strength too glare at her and snarl. "You underestimate him. He will find you. I will not betray him."

"Oh Merlin, you need to give up this act. He couldn't even admit you were his friend. Do you really think he will keep searching for you?"

Merlin's eyes dropped to the ground, suddenly unsure. _What if she's right? Under normal circumstances he would but… _The thought trailed off. _Would he leave me here for the fate which Morgana has decided? _

Morgana watched his expression change, and she smiled wider than she already had been, her teeth gleaming. Even if the physical torture failed Merlin would give out once he realized his beloved king wasn't coming for him.

"So, are we ready to give me an answer?"

"Never."

Morgana immediately brought the scorching knife down onto his cheeks, followed by his arms. The tormented screaming rang out through the cell once again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, so here's Chapter 3! OH BY THE WAY, If any of you know how to separate scenes in your writing please tell me. The last chapter wouldn't recognize any form of line or spacing that separated Merlin's scenes from Arthur's (if you get what I am saying) So feel free to tell me... **

**Chapter 3:**

Arthur never believed the walk from his chambers to the court physician's was long, but suddenly it felt as if it took hours to get there. He slowly plodded up to his old friend's door, but he couldn't find the strength within himself to open the door. He stood there, staring at the wooden blockade with a sudden anxiety. _What would he say to him? What if Gaius didn't know about Merlin? How would he tell him?_

_ Stop it Arthur, get a grip! _He internally snapped at himself. He needed someone to talk to.

He slowly raised his hand and gave three sharp knocks on the door, each one causing his heart to leap. He heard Gaius call for him to enter, and he opened the door hesitantly. Gaius was busy making remedies and such, but it was obvious he was trying to distract himself from his absent ward. His face looked worn, and he looked ten years older than he was. Even his hair wasn't as neat as it usually was.

Gaius looked up to see who had entered his chambers, and frowned as his gaze rested on Arthur. Arthur saw the expression change, but didn't comment on it.

"Sire," Gaius nodded, and then went back to work. "Can I help you with anything?"

Arthur took a deep breath. "Er, yes… I was wondering if I could talk to you about something."

"Of course sire, what would you like to discuss?" Gaius kept his eyes on the mixture he had in front of him.

"Do you think we could sit down?"

"Of course, let me just finish this tonic."

As Gaius finished up his work, Arthur walked across the room and sat at the table. He watched Gaius work as he tried to settle himself. He subconsciously began tapping his foot as his thoughts carried him away once again.

'_How am I going to tell him that Merlin practiced sorcery, and he committed treason? What if he already knows, or has Merlin been keeping the secret? Perhaps Gaius has been teaching him?' _Arthur dismissed that thought, it was impossible. '_No, I can't believe that. Gaius has been a family friend since before I was born'._ His tapping quickened.

After several more minutes Gaius took the bottle of medicine off of a flame, and placed it on his workbench to cool. He blew out the flame and went to sit opposite Arthur.

"Sorry about that sire, what would you like to talk about?"

Arthur stayed silent for a second, trying to collect his thoughts while Gaius watched him. He looked up and met Gaius's tired eyes. "I trust you know what happened to Merlin?" He started.

"Do you mean that Merlin is in the hands of Morgana while she is doing God knows what to him?" Arthur could tell how upset he was, and didn't know how to proceed.

"Yes." Arthur stated, blandly.

Several seconds past by awkwardly, and then Gaius spoke again. "Earlier in the courtyard, I noticed you ignored me when I called for you. I presume you were busy, and that is why you neglected to tell me about Merlin yourself." There was concern laced into his words.

Arthur didn't know what to say. "Ah, I had reports to tend to."

Gaius gave him a look. "I'm sure, sire. Your reports are indeed more important than your friend who is at the mercy of an evil sorceress. It would only make sense to write up your reports rather than go help Merlin." His tone was deeply satirical, one he had never used with Arthur prior.

"Gaius…"

"No Arthur. I know he is your friend and you care about him, despite your odd way of showing it." His eyes were bright.

"Gaius please listen t –"

"I should listen to you, sire? I should be obedient as Gwaine was when he came back to Camelot instead of searching for Merlin under your orders, and listened when you told him that Merlin was neither reliable nor trustworthy?"

"I can explain my actions, Gaius!" Arthur raised his voice to match Gaius's.

Gaius tried to settle back down, as if he had just realized who he was talking to. "I would hope so, sire, because I have never seen Merlin defy you or Camelot and I sincerely doubt he ever would."

Arthur exhaled. "Do you really know what you're saying, Gaius?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I trust Merlin with my life, you have no right to do any less either."

Arthur was frozen. He didn't know how to continue this conversation, and he didn't want to hurt Gaius. He became silent more several minutes, looking down the floor.

Gaius took his silence as rejection of his words. "Arthur, why are you thinking like thi…"

"Merlin has magic." Arthur spat out. The nausea in his stomach was returning, and he needed to get those words out.

The room became quieter than before, so quiet you could hear a fly buzzing around outside the door. Arthur glanced at Gaius, whose facial expression was utterly unfathomable. It seemed to be a mixture of sadness, relief, and maybe a hint of surprise. Gaius sighed.

"You knew." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, Arthur, I did know."

Arthur was shocked. "And you didn't tell me?"

"It is not my tale to tell, but Arthur let me reassure you…"

Arthur stopped him. "You allowed Merlin to be…" his voice trailed off.

"Sire, you need to hear it all before you act without thinking."

Arthur let out a 'huff' of disbelief. "Hear it all? I know that Merlin practiced sorcery which is punishable by death… is he a complete idiot? It killed both of my parents, and yet he still practiced it! Did he start while in Camelot or has he been doing it his entire life?"

"He's never practiced it." Gaius stated, waiting for the king to calm himself.

"Rubbish! I've seen it!"

Gaius shook his head. "No, I meant he never learnt it as such, he was born with magic."

"Never learnt it!" Arthur said his eyes still wild with disbelief. "How can you… is that even possible? I've never known of a sorcer-"

"Warlock," Gaius interjected.

"Warlock?" Arthur looked at him in confusion.

"That's what you call someone who was born with magic."

Arthur's spinning thoughts dwindled as he took it all in. It was insane, and beyond his grasp. His simple-minded servant, whom he thought was useless, was a _Warlock._ "So… he couldn't help it? If he was born this way…"

Gaius watched his king with a newly found amusement. "Yes, sire. Merlin is the embodiment of magic itself. Without it he would probably die. Many of those who know his destiny call him Emrys, and they say he is the most powerful warlock that will ever walk this earth."

Arthur snorted. "_Mer_lin. The Merlin who has been stumbling around my chambers for the last several years?"

"Indeed."

Arthur let out a shaky laugh, and then his face became serious once again. "I understand he was born with it, but how does that stop him from being evil?"

Gaius's eyebrow went up again. "Arthur, you know Merlin. He is the same person."

"Really, because it feels as though I barely know him at all."

"Don't worry." Gaius said, getting up from his seat. The climax of their conversation had passed, and he patted Arthur on the shoulder. "You've been seeing the real Merlin, he's just had to hide the magic part from you. He is still the clumsy, idiotic man who would give his life to save yours."

That made Arthur think about all the times he had known how Merlin, like the idiot he was, sacrificed his life to save Arthur: like the time when he drank the poison or when he jumped in front of a Dorocha that had been heading towards him. What if there had been other times that Merlin had helped him?

"How many times?" Arthur asked.

"Sorry?" Gaius was standing over his potions once again.

"How many times has he saved my life?"

Gaius laughed. "Countless times, sire. That question could take a long time to find the proper answer. It is foretold that it is his destiny to aid and protect the Once and Future King, that is you, Arthur."

It was truly overwhelming. This entire time Arthur believed Merlin was useless, but in truth he was said to be almost important as he.

Gaius looked at Arthur from his table. He understood how hard it would be for the young king to accept this. Merlin's entire being contradicted all that Arthur had been taught about magic. Gaius knew it was now his job to ensure Arthur chose to come to the correct conclusion about magic.

"I know it is hard for you to understand, Arthur, considering your father's view of magic, but let me explain it too you perhaps a little differently than Uther did. Having magic is the same as wielding a sword. A sword on its own isn't evil; it is the user who decides what is done with the sword. If the person who wields it chooses to use it by evil means, like killing a man, it doesn't change the fact that if it wasn't for the user, the sword wouldn't do anything. It is the same for magic. It is the sorcerer who is evil when they choose to practice dark magic."

Arthur stared down at his hands, suddenly reflecting on all the choices he had made regarding magic, and the horrible things his father had done to sorcerers. He glanced up at Gaius with a hint of sorrow in his face.

Gaius returned a reassuring look, and it felt as if he was talking to a young child. "I've told you this before, but I will say it again. I am not the only one seeking to protect you. There are many others who believe in the world you are trying to create." He recognized the change in Arthur's face as he remembered him telling him this. "I have a feeling it will not be long before you understand how much those people have done for you."

Arthur definitely recalled when Gaius had told him this. Merlin and Gwaine had gone after Gaius when everyone else believed him to be a traitor. In reality he had been abducted by Morgana. He had felt so guilty when he found out the truth. He had gone to apologize to both Merlin and Gaius. Arthur had learned why Gaius had protected the old sorcerer and Gaius had given him the speech about how there were people who would follow him. Arthur now realized that he was talking mainly about Merlin.

Gaius cleared his throat, bringing the conversation to a close. "I hope I have helped you come to a decision, but you have to decide for yourself where you stand." The worn look started seeping back into his face. "But Arthur I beg of you, please don't leave Merlin to Morgana. Even though she doesn't know about his magic, she knows about what he has done to save your life. I hate to think what she is doing to him."

Arthur immediately jumped out of his seat. He looked at Gaius one more time and nodded. "Thank you, Gaius." He said and sprinted out of the physicians chambers. Gaius continued his work, but a small smile remained on his face. He knew that Arthur had made the right decision.

On his way back to the chambers, Arthur turned a corner and nearly ran into Gwaine, who still looked furious.

"Look, I've had enough _princess_. Get your act together because Merlin…"

"Get Leon, Elyan, and Percival." Arthur interrupted.

"Why?"

"Tell them to be ready to leave at first light." Arthur started to walk away.

"Why?" Gwaine shouted.

Arthur shouted back as he was near the end of the corridor. "We are going to rescue Merlin of course!" The name suddenly felt different on Arthur's tongue, but it wasn't unpleasant.

Gwaine smiled, relieved the king that gotten his sense back. He ran off to find the other three knights.

When Arthur reached his chambers he stopped and breathed deeply. '_Don't worry Merlin. We are coming for you, hang on.'_


	4. Chapter 4

**Hola! I know it's only been a day but SHADOWDRAGON1317 You are seriously the first person in the world to leave any critique on any of my writing and I love it! So ttttthhhank you! I am excited to keep writing. I have written up to ****Chapter 9**** So the chapters will be posted quickly up until that point, and then you guys may have to wait several days before you get more, but I'll try and write quickly! So enjoy this chapter, its a tad short but hopefully still satisfying.**

**Chapter 4:**

*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*

On the tenth snap of the whip, Merlin finally let out a scream. He couldn't take this much longer. It was only this morning when he was being burned by scorching hot metal. Now Morgana smiled as she watched Merlin, and readied her whip again.

*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*

After an immeasurable amount of time Merlin's screeches became little more than whimpers, and silent tears streamed down his face. He felt blood trickling down his back. His wounds were simmering and stinging. He didn't know how much longer he would hold out.

*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*

He began seeing black spots in his vision, and felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.

"Sweet dreams." Morgana laughed.

It was later when he awoke, and when he woke he could find very little motivation in his body. He was exhausted, and dirty, and bloody, and he had lost all feeling in his hands. His magic was buried so deep in all his wounds that he wondered if he would ever be able to use it again. His physical strength had been sucked from his body as well. He was as good as dead.

Merlin hung there, waiting for someone, anyone to turn up and save him. He was inches away from giving up all hope.

"Ready to tell me who Emrys is yet?" a door unlocked as he heard Morgana snarl at him from across the room. He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard her footsteps approaching him.

The sound of a knife being unsheathed made his eyelids flutter open again. Morgana stood in front of him, her face set in a wicked smile as she caressed her favorite knife.

_Arthur, please, _Merlin shouted internally _Help me._

"N-no."

Morgana placed her knife against his battered chest and sliced into an already healing wound. Merlin gasped.

"Are you sure about that?"

Merlin hesitated, barely even hearing her words. "I-I'm s-sure."

Morgana buried the knife in wound after wound.

"P-please… s-stop." Merlin breathed.

"What was that?" She stopped cutting momentarily.

"Please s-stop." Merlin coughed, trying to find his voice.

Morgana pulled the knife away from Merlin, and he gave a sigh of relief before his irregular breathing resumed.

"Are you ready to tell me where Emrys is?"

Morgana waited impatiently as Merlin tried to catch his breath. He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't take the pain.

"Y-yes I-I'll tell you."

Morgana's smile widened as she thought she had broken the boy.

"Where is Emrys, Merlin?"

Merlin thought about Arthur. He thought about his destiny. Could he really do this? If Morgana found out that it's him now he doubted she would believe him. She might even put him out of his misery. If she didn't though, and she forced him to use his magic against Arthur what would be the consequences? He couldn't… no he wouldn't do that to Arthur or Camelot. He was probably going to die either way, and he didn't want Morgana using him.

He thought about his mother as well. He would never know if he was a disappointment to her. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, and how much he appreciated everything she'd done for him. If he told Morgana about himself there would be no hope. There would no hope for Albion or Arthur, or magic. Then again even if he didn't tell Morgana, Arthur may still kill him. His mind was failing him, and the pressure of the situation made him want it to all end now. Could Merlin really live long enough without telling Morgana? Would there be a chance he would still come for him?

Just then someone came rushing into his cell, making Merlin jump, which drained his body even more. "My Lady, we've just received word that Arthur is dispatching from Camelot with a small party of knights. They are saying he is looking for his servant." A man said, looking to Merlin.

Morgana's eyes widened for a split second, and a flicker of hope ignited in Merlin's stomach. Morgana let out a shriek, and whirled around, expertly throwing her knife towards the man. It planted itself in his unarmored chest and he crumpled to the floor. The man had just extinguished any hope of getting Merlin to talk.

"I will never tell you where Emrys is. I would rather die than help you." Merlin snarled, his revived hope helping his strength return.

"That can be arranged." Morgana hissed back, and stormed out of the room. Merlin had a feeling she would be back soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, next chapter, also not as long as I'd hoped but they will pick up soon. Oh, and if it doesn't accept my 'edit' on the next chapter, I meant I have already written to CHAPTER SIX, NOT NINE. Sorry about that.**

**Chapter 5:**

Arthur made his way into the courtyard and saw five horses tacked up and ready for their journey. He walked to his horse, preparing to mount, and noticed the knights intently looking at him, ready to be on their way to finding their lost friend. Arthur made sure he had everything he needed, trying to push away the fact that Merlin should've been the one doing that. He wished Merlin were here. Arthur took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was about to mount when he heard a familiar, sweet voice calling out to him.

"Arthur!" Gwen called.

Arthur turned to face his beautiful wife, and a small smile appeared on his lips. He led his horse over to her and gave her a kiss and a hug.

"You made the right decision. I'm so proud of you." She too had been baffled when at first Arthur refused to go after his friend.

Arthur smiled a teary smile.

"I'm going to miss you, but you make sure to bring Merlin and everyone home safe. That includes you." She grinned, although there was worry in her eyes almost every time he left.

Arthur pulled away, and looked at his wife while she smiled and kissed him again. Then he turned to mount his horse. The rest of the knights followed suit, and pursued him out of the courtyard.

"I love you." Gwen called from behind him.

Arthur turned in his saddle. "I love you too."

They sped up to a canter and left the citadel.

Merlin began to regain consciousness, and the first thing he felt was pain. He was so consumed with pain that he couldn't find an inch on his body that didn't ache. Merlin slowly opened his eyes, but forced them shut as light threatened to blind him.

'_Why am I not in the dungeons anymore?'_ Merlin thought, and then he remembered. He had defied Morgana and she moved to more physical torture. Merlin remembered a huge man being led into his cell shortly after he told her he would never breathe a word about Emrys. The man was the size of a tree, and his fists were almost larger than Merlin's head. He barely remembered the man hitting him, but it was probably because it only took one punch to the face to knock him out.

After several minutes, Merlin attempted to open his eyes again. After a few attempts he managed to keep his eyes open long enough to examine the room. He noticed the space around him was larger than the previous one. There were no windows, but many more torches than the cell. He tried to swivel around, and realized that he was tied to a chair.

_Brilliant. _He thought, and sighed, ignoring the protest from his ribs.

Then a door creaked open behind him. He heard two pairs of footsteps. The first were slow and heavy and the other's were light, and obviously Morgana's. The two walked around him, and Merlin recognized the muscular man as the one who had knocked him out. Morgana gave a nod of her head and the man started to walk towards him.

_Arthur, _Merlin thought. _Hurry._

The King of Camelot and his four best knights traveled through the forest. The sight wasn't unusual, but today they weren't bursting with energy and laughter. Each of them was consumed with their own thoughts and worries.

It was intriguing how the lot of them could harass Merlin and joke about him, and occasionally one or two of them wouldn't admit to Merlin being their friend, Arthur included, but then they would risk their lives to help him. Merlin was more than a servant to them all, even if they couldn't reconcile with that fact. He was a true friend, and he was always willing to lay down his life for the knights and king. The group of men all knew they were doing the right thing. They knew they owed him a debt, and it wouldn't be just to leave him in Morgana's hands.

Arthur cantered on, his face a mask. His emotions were shrouded on the outside, but there was concern in his heart. He tried to fathom his thoughts, but the new information that had been forced into his brain caused his concentration to fail. He had no clue how he would treat Merlin, nor how Merlin would react to him. He barely knew if Merlin had noticed that Arthur saw his magic. To treat him normally would be difficult; although something in his gut told him he needed Merlin. He needed to trust him. Morgana's dark magic was the enmity he had to be weary of, not Merlin's. Morgana wished to see him dead, and who knows how many allies she had gained during her rebellion. Arthur worried as to how he would be able to discern the truly good sorcerers from the evil ones. _I guess Merlin will have to help me with that. _He chuckled. He had relied on Merlin so little, and now it felt as if he owed him everything. He needed to know how many times the little prat had actually saved his life. Arthur mollified himself by the knowledge that he could at least save his servant now. He smiled to himself.

By early afternoon the royals had reached the village of Ampton. It was the last place anyone had seen Morgana in the several days since she had abducted Merlin, and they hoped to find more information regarding her location.

"Should we split up?" Leon requested.

Arthur nodded and they trotted off through the village in separate directions.

It took merely an hour before they had all started gathering together again. Elyan was the last to ride up on his bay, and his eyes shone. "I've got good news. The townspeople seem to have a theory as to where Morgana is hiding."

The knights looked at Elyan intently. "Several of the people mentioned the name 'Blackwell.' Apparently the family used to live in a large dwelling barely 10 miles east of here. It lies in a grove in the forest nearby. If the people are correct then the family has been deceased for over 15 years, and there has been no one in the edifice since then. Just recently though, some of the villagers have noticed torchlight in the house while they've been out hunting." Elyan's tone was serious.

"You think that is where Morgana is keeping Merlin?" Arthur questioned.

"It's the only lead we have." Elyan replied, shrugging. "We should give it a shot."

Arthur turned his horse eastward. "Let's get going then, shall we?"

The men shot forward, galloping towards the Blackwell House, and praying that Merlin would be there.


	6. Chapter 6

**Here it is, the last previously written Chapter. I will continue to write, but I need you to REVIEW, FAVORITE, ETC to motivate me! I will try to update once or twice a week, possibly more. Next chapter I may set a day that I will post every week, so look out for that. Thanks! Enjoy.**

**Chapter 6:**

Merlin leaned as far back in his chair as he could manage as another fist came flying towards his face. Nevertheless, the hand connected with his jaw and sent another wave of pain through his torso. He knew that his jaw was no less than fractured, and his vision was blurry. Blood gushed from a wound in the side of his head, and the rest of his body whined as he tried to flinch away from the gigantic man. Mentally he tried clinging onto the hope that Arthur would soon be here, but physically he thought he should have been dead. His will was wearing thin once again.

The man, scarred and ugly, stepped away from Merlin for several moments as he grabbed a goblet of water off a nearby table. Merlin's mouth opened slightly at the sight of the water, and he stared at it desperately.

The man saw how Merlin's eyes rested on the cup, and he grinned, stepping forward. Merlin flinched backwards. The man laughed. "Want some water, peasant?" He poured the goblet onto the stone floor directly in front of Merlin, chuckling as Merlin's glassy eyes followed the stream.

"Oh, come on Borin, we have to at least keep him alive." Morgana's voice was suddenly behind Merlin, and he heard the muffled sound of a door closing. She strode to Borin's side and gripped the cup, which still held some water. She went up to him and grabbed his throbbing jaw, forcing him to swallow the liquid. Merlin was barely satisfied as the pain in his face dulled the water's effect. He did not feel any relief from his hunger or thirst.

"Yes Milady" Borin said gruffly. She pushed the cup back into the man's hand, smiled at Merlin, and left once again. Merlin suspected Morgana had been listening to them through one of the small holes at the top of the walls. It would be easy for her to track their progress yet not get her hands dirty.

Borin dumped the empty goblet onto the table and grimaced at Merlin. "My lady has told me about you." He huffed suddenly. "She has told me how disrespectful and disobedient you are. I think we may need to do something about that."

Suddenly a fist pounded itself into Merlin's stomach. He hadn't even seen the man move. "So I can reassure you that it will be no problem for you to tell me who Emrys is." His hand hit him once again, the agony coursed through Merlin like a disease.

"I d-don't k-know." He croaked out.

Another fist connected with his cheek.

"I w-will never t-tell y-you." He spluttered, blood seeping from his mouth.

Borin snorted, unamused. "You hold out because you think your knight buddies will come rescue you, but they will never come."

"I know they will." Merlin growled.

"You're just a serving boy! You are weak and pathetic, and you will give Morgana an answer!" he slapped Merlin across the face. "The knights were indeed sent to look for you, but the Lady Morgana has sent them into a trap. They will never find you."

"How many men?" Merlin choked out as another hand came flying at him.

"What?" Borin looked at the boy, drawing his hand back at his words.

"How many men does Arthur have with him, did Morgana say?" He forced the words out.

Borin gave him an unfathomable glance. "Yes, she said about two dozen knights rode out with the king."

_Morgana is lying. _Merlin was certain of it. _Bringing so many men would cause suspicion. Arthur would only bring his four best knights on this kind of a mission. She doesn't know the whereabouts of Arthur. _Merlin thought. He feigned disappointment, as though he had accepted the man's words and he was doomed. He lowered his head, and Borin laughed, buying it.

"You will tell me who Emrys is." He stated blatantly, and picked up a knife of his own.

Arthur and his knights were approaching the old home. Although the place looked unarmed on the outside, the knights thought it best to dismount several meters away so they would go unnoticed. Arthur hopped off, unsheathing his sword and signaling for his men to follow behind him. They slowly made their way towards the house, and skirted around the outside to look for any activity. To the men's surprise, the place truly did look abandoned.

The met up again at the front door, which was crumbling along with the rest of the place, and sheathed their swords.

"Looks like the townspeople were just imagining things." Elyan sighed.

"My Lord!" No one had noticed Leon staring into the trees, and he shouted to his companions the second a party of men rushed through the undergrowth.

The knights unsheathed their swords once again, backing against each other and preparing to fight. They were outnumbered by at least two to one.

"Morgana's men?" Percival questioned as they held their swords at the ready.

"Most certainly." Arthur concluded and they rushed to meet their enemy.

These men were more skilled than the mercenaries they had fought a few days prior, but it seemed as though Morgana wanted most of her men at her side because the fairly small group was slowly getting cut down by the knights of Camelot. Arthur and Leon battled side by side, fighting off two men each and defending each other's backsides. Arthur heard a small yelp from Elyan, and turned to look. A sword had slashed into his thigh, and the man was about to finish him off. Arthur, angry that one of his men had been injured, landed one fatal blow to the man he was fighting and rushed off to help Elyan. As he darted over he could see that they were winning, and the fight would be passed soon.

"Hey!" Arthur shouted, reaching Elyan's attacker. The man was bulky and seemed to be at the head of the group. He wore dulled armor and dirtied rags, but his fighting skill was notable.

Despite his swordsmanship, Arthur disarmed the man and pinned him down, his sword resting lightly on the man's chest.

"Where is Morgana?" Arthur commanded.

The man glared at the king with contempt, refusing to tell him anything. He attempted to pull a knife from his belt, but Arthur was too quick for the man. He knocked it out of his hand with his sword, and it skittered across the ground.

Arthur didn't have any time to waste. "I will ask one more time." He growled, raising the blade to the man's throat. "Where is she?"

The man gulped, suddenly out of ideas to escape. "Northwest of here there's a tower." The man said reluctantly. "The Tower of Billige,"

Arthur nodded curtly, and stepped closer to the man. "Thank you for the information." He said, and punched the man squarely in the face, knocking him out.

The knights had gathered themselves beside Arthur. Morgana's men were either unconscious on the forest floor, or had fled. Arthur was relieved that none of his men were wounded apart from Elyan, and he finally had the true location of Merlin. They would be on their way within the hour.

"Let's get back to the horses." Arthur said, already walking in that direction. "We can dress Elyan's wound there and get something to eat. We should be able to reach the Tower before nightfall."

Leon helped Elyan back to the horses, and there he sat against a tree. Leon grabbed a bag from his horse and threw it to the knight. It was the medical things Gaius had supplied them with before they had taken off. Meanwhile the rest of the men fished bread and fruit out of the packs tied to their horses, enjoying the meal after a strenuous morning.

Arthur was glad to see that all of the men still held firm determination in their eyes. They weren't going to give up until they had found Merlin, and even though the fighting had worn them out, they would still have the strength to raid Morgana's lair.

"We need to get going." The king said as he finished an apple, throwing the core into the woods. Elyan had wrapped his leg and was finishing off a large portion of wheat bread. "We have let Morgana mess around too long." He concurred, and mounted his big bay stallion. The knights finished whatever food they had been engulfing and hopped onto their horses. They cantered off in the right direction of their friend.

'_I just hope we aren't too late' _Arthur worried internally.


End file.
